Thank You Governor Brewer – You Heard Us Speak

This is a guest post by Shelley Hendrix, the Director of State Based Advocacy at Autism Speaks.

If you were planning to call Governor Brewer again today to ask her to veto SB 1593 – HOLD ON! THINGS ARE DIFFERENT TODAY! WE HAVE A NEW MESSAGE BECAUSE YOU DID IT AUTISM COMMUNITY! SHE GAVE SB 1593 A BIG VETO STAMP!

We are thrilled to report that late yesterday afternoon Governor Jan Brewer of Arizona officially vetoed SB 1593, a bill which if enacted would have effectively reversed the accomplishments achieved under Steven’s Law – Arizona’s autism insurance reform. The autism community in Arizona, and all across the country, laser focused their efforts contacting Governor Brewer – speaking with ONE loud united voice.

You can read a copy of her veto message here:

“My mother always taught me that when someone does something nice for you, you thank them. For something as important to our community as this, I hope that each and every one who participated in this campaign – whether you made a call or sent an email or whatever — will take the time now to thank her profusely. Thank her profusely and publicly – through your favorite social media outlet – and get your friends and family to thank her, too!

So, speaking of social media outlets, we are collecting messages for her on this blog below and on our Facebook pages for Autism Votes, Autism Speaks-Arizona and Autism Speaks-National. We want her to see, in public, how grateful we are that she listened to all of you. Please thank her by leaving a message for her below, then write a quick thank you note on one of our Facebook pages. If you would like to send her a more personal email thanking her and telling her how much this means to you and your family, you can visit our Arizona page on the Autism Votes website and take action there.

Her veto also sends a strong message to our community. For one thing, look what we can do when we focus our efforts. We are not weak and helpless. We can move mountains. We can change things. But we have to be diligent and persevere.

Winston Churchill once said, “Sure I am this day we are masters of our fate, that the task which has been set before us is not above our strength; that its pangs and toils are not beyond our endurance. As long as we have faith in our own cause and an unconquerable will to win, victory will not be denied us.”

What a smart man.

Sometimes in our community with all the battles we have to fight on a daily basis we just feel so incredibly helpless but no truer words were ever spoken. We are, in fact, masters of our own fate. The important word to me in this statement is “we,” not “I,” “we.”

WE are a team. WE are all in this community together. WE cannot sit here wringing our hands and whining. WE have to ACT! And when WE do, things change.

Look what changed as a result of your action everyone! Governor Brewer heard you loud and clear over the noise of our opposition. And believe me, they were giving it everything they had to get her to sign it.

The defeat of SB 1593 in Arizona is no small thing. So thank Governor Brewer, then pat yourselves on the back for a job well done.

THANK YOU so much for vetoing SB 1593. It is so vital that our children within the autism spectrum receive services as soon as possible. It is changing lives by getting these services and will help us all in the long run. Thank you for your support.

Thank You Governor Brewer! I live in California and I have a 5 year old on the spectrum and I could not imagine having no services provided for my son.. You did the Autism community in Arizona a great service by Vetoing SB 1593…

Thank you Governor Brewer! We are eternally grateful for your diligence and hard work in succesfully vetoing SB 1593! This is one huge step for mankind! Hoping that you are setting the standard for all state! THANK YOU!

Thank you for vetoing SB 1593, as a mother of a 27 years old with autism I understand the importance for helping those impacted with autism. The odds when my son was born was one in 10,000, now the odds are 1 in 100…..we need all the services we can get for this crisis that is upon us.

Governor Brewer, I simply cannot think you enough! Not only did you listen to the citizens of Arizona but you did the “right” thing by vetoing SB1593. You have made it possible for families affected by autism and autism spectrum disorder to focus on their lives and futures without the pending doom of the loss of insurance coverage hanging over their heads. Bless you!

I am a researcher in the areas of autism and aspergers. It is great to see that autism spectrum awareness is supported by governors! We need more of that and more of governmental money for research to find out the genetic and molecular causes of these neurodevelopmental disorders. These are big issues in children and adults since rate of these conditions is constantly increases.
Thanks.